Operating room lamp



July 5, 1960 H. GUNTHER OPERATING ROOM LAMP 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April30, 1957 I N VE N TOR HERMA lV/V aij/vr/m? ATTORNEYS July 5, 1960 H.GUNTHER OPERATING ROOM LAMP 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 30, 1957INVENTOR HERMA 1w GUN THER ATTORNEYS reusino- 2,94 .;143 OPERATING ROOMLAMP Hermann Gunther, Hanan. (Main), Germany, assignor to QuarzlampenGesellschaft m.b.H., Hanau (Main), Germany Filed Apr. 30, 1957, Ser. No.655,985

2- Claims. (Cl. 2 40--1.4)

The present invention relates to an operating room lamp, moreparticularly, to such a lamp which may be readily adjusted around aplurality of different axes by manipulation of controls on the lampwhich are located outside of the region Where the operation is beingperformed.

It is, therefore, the principal object of this invention to provide animproved adjustable operating room lamp. It is another object of thisinvention to provide an operating room lamp which overcomes thedisadvantages of the previously known operating room lamps whoseposition could only be adjusted by manipulating of the lamp directlyabove the area in which the operation was being performed.

It is a further object of this invention to provide an operating roomlamp having a compensated drive for adjusting the lamp around ahorizontal axis which requires very little force to be exerted bypersonnel adjusting the position of the lamp. 4

It is an additional object of this invention to provide an operatingroom lamp wherein the position of the lamp is adjusted on that part ofthe frame which is remote and opposite to the actual lamp.

It is still another object of this invention to provide an operatingroom lamp whose position is capable of being finely adjusted.

It is still a further object of this invention to provide an operatingroom lamp wherein the horizontally adjustable frame supporting the lampis maintained in a horizontal position by a compensating spring.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent uponreference to the accompanying description when taken in conjunction withthe following drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a perspective view of theoperating room lamp of this invention looking upwardly at the lamp;

Figure 2 is a top view of the lamp and the supporting frame illustratedin Figure l, with a portion of supporting arm removed for clarity;

Figure 3 is a side elevational view of the operating room lampillustrated in Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken along the lines 4-4 of Figure 2 andin enlarged scale to show the details of the drive and the manner inwhich the frame is rotatably supported in the tubular casing; and

Figure 5 is a sectionel view similar to that of Figure 4 but showing amodification wherein the compensating spring is separate from the screwshaft adjusting drive.

The present invention essentially comprises a lamp mounted on one end ofa supporting frame which is pivotally mounted in the manner of a leveron the lower end of a vertical supporting arm. A compensating spring isemployed between the other end of the frame and vertical supporting armto maintain the frame in a substantially horizontal position. Theadjusting means for tilting the lamp is also mounted on the same side ofthe frame as the compensating spring. Thus it can be seen that the lampmay be adjusted on the opposite end of the frame 2,944,143 Patented July5, 1950 erally the operating room lamp of this invention which issupported from a ceiling fixture 2. The lamp comprises a curvedsupporting arm 3 which has an upper horizontal portion 4 whose end ispivotally attached to the ceiling at 5 for rotation of the supportingarm about the vertical axis AA. The lower end of the supporting arm issubstantially vertical, as indicated at 6. A rotary member 7 is mountedwithin the lower end of the supporting arm and is free to pivot aboutthe vertical axis B--B.

A tubular casing 8 comprises two axially spaced sec tions 9 and 10 whichare joined together by a strap 11 and is pivotally supported at 12 onthe rotatable member 7. Consequently, the tubular casing 8 is free torotate about the horizontal axis C -C.

A shaft 13 is rotatably mounted within the tubular casing 8 for pivotalmovement about a horizontal axis D-D which is at right angles to thehorizontal axis C-C. A supporting frame comprising arms 14, which are attached to the rotatably mounted shaft '13 between the tubular casingsections 9 and 10, pivotally supports a lamp 15 which is free to pivotabout a horizontal axis E-E. The lamp comprises a plurality ofindividual spotlights 16which may be arranged in a circle and directedat a point. The lamp has a stainless steel horizontal handle 17 and aplurality of vertical handles 18. There is a vertical handle 19 attachedto the rotatable shaft 13 between the sections of the tubular casing.

The drive means for the horizontal adjustment of the lamp frame isgenerally indicated at 20 and, as may be seen in Figure 3, comprises athreaded socket or tube 21 which is mounted in a tube 22 which, in turn,is pivotally mounted at 23 to a bracket 24 extending laterally from therotatable member 7 in the supporting arm. A screw shaft 25 passesthrough a cross head 26 which is pivotally mounted in the tubular casingsection 9 and is received within the threaded socket 21. The lower endof the screw shaft, which is not threaded, rotates within a bearinglining the interior surface of the cross-head. Collars on the unthreadedportion of the screw shaft on both sides of the cross-head restrict thescrew shaft against axial movement.

There is a hand wheel 27 on the free end of the screw shaft 25 forrotating the shaft. A compensating spring 28 surrounds the screw shaft25 and is received within the tube 22. A second tube 29 is telescopinglyreceived within the tube 22 and the tubes 22 and 29 form an adjustableenclosure for the screw drive of the compensating spring. The length ofthese telescoping tubes is such that they will remain engaged regardlessof the position of the lamp. It is apparent that the above-describeddrive means will also serve to prevent accidental tilting of the lampframe under the influence of a force other than one which producesintentional actuation of the drive means, i.e., rotation of the handwheel 27.

It is apparent that the weight of the lamp on the supporting frame wouldcause a torque moment and resultant pivoting of the supporting frameabout the axis C-C. To overcome this moment the compensating spring isso chosen that in the average or normal position of the operating lamp,which is approximately the horizontal position, the spring neutralizesthe torque moment generated by the operating lamp. Consequently, in thisposition the system is in balance. During the manipulation of the screwshaft by the hand wheel 27 the spring is either extended or compressed.Thus, one result of the spring arrangement is that less force need beexerted when 3 the drive means is. being adjusted to vary the height ofthe lamp.

Since the supporting frame for the operating lamp is in most casesemployed in a horizontal position or only at a very slight angle fromthe horizontal; *the' screw shaft drive as described above will beinclined with, 13-

'spect to thelamp frame. However, only the vertical components of theforce as exerted by the screwshaf-t drive is effective for adjusting-thepositionofthe-operating' lamp. In order to minimize the forces exertedby. the lamp and-to obtain as great,averticalcomponent-force from thescrewshaft drive-as possible, the drive and the compensating spring aremounted at an angle of between 35 to 55 with thesupporting armverticalportion.

. A modification of the spring and driving arrangement is illustratedinFigurefi. In this-modification, the-compensating-spring is mountedseparately-from the drive means; Themodification comprises'a threadedtube 30 which has one end thereof pivotally-mountediat 3 1-to thesupporting arm verticalposition. -A screw shaft 32 is slidably mountedin a cross head 33 which is pivotally mounted in the tubular casingsection 9. The threaded end, of the shaft 32is-receivedwithin thethreaded tube 30.

A compensating spring '34 is connected between the supporting armvertical portion 6 in the tubular casing section 9. Telescoping tubes 35and 36 completely enclose the compensating spring. Because of the lengthof the compensatingspring a guide rod '37 is positioned within thisspring. In operation, this modification is exactly similar-to that ofthe invention as illustrated in Figure 4.

Thus it' can be seen that the. present invention provides an operatingroom lamp which-may be readily adjusted. about five different axes. Themost important adjust? ment of the lamp which is the vertical height ofthe lamp is achieved by manipulating controls which are located remotefrom the area in which the operation is being performed.

In addition; the action of the compensating spring greatly'decreases theamount of force. which is necessary to adjust the height of'the lamp.Since one end of the compensating spring is fastened to the tubular.casing construction, the force of the spring does-not-act on therotatable shaft from which-the frame is supported and transmitteddirectly to the casing sections. The result is a simplified constructionfor an operating room lamp which has a plurality of adjustments.

It will be understood that this inveniton is susceptible to modificationin order to adapt it to different usages and conditions, and,accordingly, it is desired to com prehend such modifications within thisinvention as may fall within the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. In an operating room lamp; a supporting arm with the upper portionthereof being substantially horizontal and thelower portion thereofbeing substantially vertical; means "for mounting the horizontal portion"of saidfsupporting arm for pivotal movement around a vertical axis, anon-rotatable tubular casing comprising two rigidly connected axiallyspaced sections with one of said sections pivotally mounted on the endof said'supporting arm vertical portion for pivotal movement around afirst horizontal axis, a shaft rotatably mounted in both sec tions ofsaid tubular casing for pivotal movement about a second horizontal axis,a-frame secured to said rotatable shaft-and extending on the side ofsaid pivotal mounting: oppositefromsaid'tubular casing, .a lamp mountedon said frame, a handle on said rotatable shaft betweensaid sections ofthe tubular casing for rotating said. frame around saidsecond-horizontal axis,-a threaded tubef having one end; pivotallymounted on the lower vertical portion of said supporting arm on the sidetoward said tubular casing, a screw shaft pivotally supported on theother of-said sections and received within said threaded tubefor tiltingsaid frame about said first horizontal; axis, ahandle on oneend of saidscrew shaft for rotating. said shaft, a compression spring having oneend'engagi'ng an element on saidsupporting ann vertical portion at apoint spaced fromsaid pivotal mounting and with the. other end engagingsaid other section.

2. In an operating room lamp, as claimed in claim 1, with saidcompression spring surrounding said screw shaft;

References Cited-in the file of'this patent Jewell July '9, 1957

